droughtNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94droughtMon, 07 Aug 2017 04:55:51 +0000droughthttp://tpr.org
Jack MorganThe San Antonio Water System is stepping up enforcement since levels at the Edwards Aquifer test well triggered Stage 1 Watering Restrictions several weeks ago.Water Violations In San Antonio Could Get Costlyhttp://tpr.org/post/water-violations-san-antonio-could-get-costly
91067 as http://tpr.orgFri, 04 Aug 2017 20:15:09 +0000Water Violations In San Antonio Could Get CostlyeditorCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.With Drought The New Normal In The West, States Scramble To Preparehttp://tpr.org/post/drought-new-normal-west-states-scramble-prepare
70037 as http://tpr.orgSun, 22 May 2016 21:52:00 +0000With Drought The New Normal In The West, States Scramble To PrepareLourdes Garcia-NavarroIt happened slowly at first. The reservoir's water level dropped, so the resort extended the boat launch ramp. Then they had to add another extension. Eventually, the water dropped so much that business dried up — along with the lake. "For this coming weekend, there's not one reservation. This business was 98 percent dependent on the water. Now that the water's gone, the customers are gone as well," says Francisco Carlos Fonseca, the manager of Marina Confiança. The resort is located on what were once the banks of one of Sao Paulo's most important reservoir system, called Cantareira. A drought has been devastating the region for the past two years. Unless there is more rain, some water conservation groups estimate there is only enough water to last about five months. Walking around the resort, Fonseca says that until a year ago, this place was a weekend getaway paradise, packed with vacationers. Today the hotel, with its attached bungalows and party spaces, is a ghost town. It's aAs Brazil's Largest City Struggles With Drought, Residents Are Leavinghttp://tpr.org/post/brazils-largest-city-struggles-drought-residents-are-leaving
60965 as http://tpr.orgSun, 22 Nov 2015 11:20:00 +0000As Brazil's Largest City Struggles With Drought, Residents Are LeavingAlexandra StarrA drought in the Mexican state of Chiapas has led to the reappearance of a mid-16th century church. Lack of rain in southern Mexico has dropped the water level in the Nezahualcoyotl reservoir, revealing the Temple of Santiago, a church built in in 1564. This is the second time the church has become visible since the construction of a dam led to the flooding of the structure in 1966. In 2002, according to the AP , water levels fell so low that visitors could enter the Temple of Santiago and walk inside it. At its highest point, the church stands 48 feet. According to the Huffington Post , it's normally under nearly 100 feet of water. As water levels have dipped by more than 80 feet, local fishermen have been taking visitors in boats to see the remains up close. The church was originally constructed by monks led by Friar Bartolome de las Casas, a Dominican missionary who advocated for the abolition of slavery in the Americas. The church was abandoned after plagues swept the region in theAfter Years Underwater, A Church Re-Emerges In Mexico http://tpr.org/post/church-emerges-after-centuries
59151 as http://tpr.orgTue, 20 Oct 2015 01:39:18 +0000After Years Underwater, A Church Re-Emerges In Mexico Ezra David RomeroThe giant sequoias in the Sierra Nevada are one of America's treasures, but for the first time in Sequoia National Park's history, the trees are showing visible signs of exhaustion due to the drought. On a hike last summer, a scientist noticed that the needles of the giant sequoias were browning and more sparse than usual. This finding got ecologists thinking: Did the drought cause this? "We're just trying to get a better understanding of how giant sequoia trees respond to severe drought. We have very little understanding of ... how severe of a drought it takes to kill a giant sequoia tree," says Anthony Ambrose, a tree biologist at University of California, Berkeley. This notion that the giant sequoias could die because of drought has brought together multiple agencies, including the National Park Service, Stanford University, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Carnegie Airborne Observatory, for the first health-related study on the giant sequoia. Ambrose isTo Measure Drought's Reach, Researchers Scale The Mighty Sequoia http://tpr.org/post/measure-droughts-reach-researchers-scale-mighty-sequoia
55907 as http://tpr.orgMon, 17 Aug 2015 08:40:00 +0000To Measure Drought's Reach, Researchers Scale The Mighty Sequoia editorThe Upside To Weeks Of Rain In Texas: Finally Emerging From Droughthttp://tpr.org/post/upside-weeks-rain-texas-finally-emerging-drought
52901 as http://tpr.orgThu, 18 Jun 2015 01:26:34 +0000The Upside To Weeks Of Rain In Texas: Finally Emerging From DroughtBetsy BlaneyLUBBOCK — The torrential storms of last month essentially ended one of Texas’ worst-ever droughts, but much of the excess water has already flowed into the Gulf of Mexico or will evaporate by year’s end. With a wary eye toward the next prolonged dry-streak that inevitably will come, some think expanding the use of underground aquifers may help slake the thirst of Texas’ rapidly growing population. Three trillion gallons of water gushed from swollen Texas rivers into the Gulf of Mexico in May, and another 2 trillion gallons will likely evaporate from state reservoirs by year’s end. Combined, the lost water would be enough to serve Texas’ booming population for an entire year.Texas Planners Look To Aquifers, And Following San Antonio Example, To Prepare For Next Droughthttp://tpr.org/post/texas-planners-look-aquifers-and-following-san-antonio-example-prepare-next-drought
52727 as http://tpr.orgMon, 15 Jun 2015 01:47:10 +0000Texas Planners Look To Aquifers, And Following San Antonio Example, To Prepare For Next DroughtDavid Martin DaviesFor those who say the Texas drought is over – they need to take a look at the upper panhandle and the area around San Angelo. Water is still scarce in those areas. Bill Riley is the director of the San Angelo Water System.Texas Matters: Drought Isn't Over For Some Parts Of Texashttp://tpr.org/post/texas-matters-drought-isnt-over-some-parts-texas
52633 as http://tpr.orgFri, 12 Jun 2015 20:27:45 +0000Texas Matters: Drought Isn't Over For Some Parts Of TexaseditorTexas Lake Slowly Recovers From Droughthttp://tpr.org/post/texas-lake-slowly-recovers-drought
51743 as http://tpr.orgWed, 27 May 2015 18:29:00 +0000Texas Lake Slowly Recovers From DroughtAssociated PressDALLAS — Steady rainfall through the year has helped Texas emerge from the harshest drought conditions, but pockets of the state still have reservoirs alarmingly low and drinking water in short supply. The U.S. Drought Monitor indicated Thursday that Texas is no longer contending with “exceptional drought,” which is the most serious of five levels. In October 2011, 88 percent of the state was in exceptional drought. The drought map this week shows a few regions of “severe” drought remain, such as in the Panhandle, in the area of Wichita Falls and west of Austin in Kerr and Gillespie counties. Much of the spine of Texas extending from the Panhandle south into Central Texas still has either abnormally dry conditions or moderate drought.Recent Rains Help Texas Emerge From Harsh Drought Conditions http://tpr.org/post/recent-rains-help-texas-emerge-harsh-drought-conditions
51065 as http://tpr.orgThu, 14 May 2015 21:53:00 +0000Recent Rains Help Texas Emerge From Harsh Drought Conditions Kirk SieglerThe historic four-year drought in California has been grabbing the headlines lately, but there's a much bigger problem facing the West: the now 14-year drought gripping the Colorado River basin. One of the most stunning places to see its impact is at the nation's largest reservoir, Lake Mead, near Las Vegas. At about 40 percent of capacity, it's the lowest it's been since it was built in the 1930s. "Just to see the rings around it, it's just ... kind of scary, you know," says Darlene Paige, a visitor from New York. She's standing at a vista point above the Hoover Dam on the Arizona side of Lake Mead. That "ring" is the infamous bathtub ring around the rim of the reservoir. The levels have dropped 140 feet over the past 15 years, exposing a white stain on the gravelly brown mountains above the water. The level is forecast to fall an additional 10 feet by this summer. The snowpack in the Rocky Mountains, where the Colorado and much of the Southwest gets most of its water, is again atAs Lake Mead Levels Drop, The West Braces For Bigger Drought Impacthttp://tpr.org/post/lake-mead-levels-drop-west-braces-bigger-drought-impact
49500 as http://tpr.orgFri, 17 Apr 2015 20:50:00 +0000As Lake Mead Levels Drop, The West Braces For Bigger Drought ImpactPaul Flahive California towns have been running out of water for the past 6 months. A plan to ration water in southern California is expected to be voted on next week. Governor Jerry Brown has ordered a 25 percent mandatory reduction in urban water consumption, a California first . Texas remains in drought for a 5th year, but what a difference a year makes. This time in 2014 85 percent of the state was under the drought with more than a quarter in the most severe stages. Fast forward, and today just a hair under 50 percent of the state is experiencing drought conditions. Regardless of our incremental improvement in Texas, the two most populous states in the country are experiencing some of the worst droughts in a hundred years. What does this mean for how we live? Guests : Robert Gulley, former Executive Director of Habitat Conservation at the Edwards Aquifer Authority, author of the book "Heads Above Water: The Inside Story of the Edwards Awuifer Recovery Implementation Program" Seamus McGraw,The Source: Water Increasingly Scarce In A Dry Westhttp://tpr.org/post/source-water-increasingly-scarce-dry-west
48928 as http://tpr.orgWed, 08 Apr 2015 17:25:47 +0000The Source: Water Increasingly Scarce In A Dry WesteditorCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit Transcript ARUN RATH, HOST: While the world struggles with the problem of too much oil, here in California we're consumed with a far more primal concern - not enough water. From the moment we moved this show to Los Angeles, we've been reporting on how bad it is, and it's just getting worse. This week, Governor Jerry Brown announced the first mandatory water restrictions in state history, requiring residents to cut their water use by 25 percent. To make his point, he spoke in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where the snowpack so vital to the California water supply was dramatically absent. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) JERRY BROWN: People should realize we're in a new era. The idea of your nice little green grass getting lots of water every day - that's going to be a thing of the past. RATH: NPR's Kirk Siegler was on hand for that announcement in the Sierra Nevada. I asked him what it was like up there. KIRK SIEGLER, BYLINE: Well, I saw, notCoping With California's Droughthttp://tpr.org/post/coping-californias-drought
48731 as http://tpr.orgSat, 04 Apr 2015 21:24:00 +0000Coping With California's DroughteditorDecades-Long 21st Century Drought Predicted For U.S.http://tpr.org/post/decades-long-21st-century-drought-predicted-us
46043 as http://tpr.orgSat, 14 Feb 2015 05:00:15 +0000Decades-Long 21st Century Drought Predicted For U.S.Paul Flahive Remember the drought?The Source: Battling Drought With The Edwards Aquifer Authorityhttp://tpr.org/post/source-battling-drought-edwards-aquifer-authority
44044 as http://tpr.orgThu, 08 Jan 2015 23:02:49 +0000The Source: Battling Drought With The Edwards Aquifer AuthorityeditorImagine flushing the toilet and watching sand come up. That's what happened to Pam Vieira, who lives south of Modesto, Calif. Her water well has slowed to a trickle, and you can see the sand in the tank of her toilet. "Sometimes we have brown water," Vieira says. "Sometimes we have no water." Vieira is one of as many as 2 million rural California residents who rely on private domestic wells for drinking water. Some of those people are among the hardest hit by the state's severe drought, as wells across the state's Central Valley farm belt start to go dry. Vieira and her husband have lived in this tan ranch house surrounded by almond and sweet potato farms for about 40 years. Like many in this community, they're too far from town to hook into a municipal water system. Their household well has always worked fine. But now, Vieira has to wait for the well to pull enough water to take a bath. She recycles whatever water she can to try and save her 100-year-old hydrangea. "This is myAs Their Wells Run Dry, California Residents Blame Thirsty Farmshttp://tpr.org/post/their-wells-run-dry-california-residents-blame-thirsty-farms
40005 as http://tpr.orgSun, 19 Oct 2014 15:44:00 +0000As Their Wells Run Dry, California Residents Blame Thirsty FarmsCrystal ChavezOn Fronteras: We look at how an El Niño weather pattern might help out the Texas drought this fall. Mexico is opening its energy sector to foreign participation for the first time since 1938. That has two towns, in two countries, wanting to harness geography and oil industry experience for each other’s benefit. One of the first things newly nationalized citizens do is register to vote. In San Diego, there’s one third party growing faster than the rest. We explore why. And something strange is happening at the busiest port of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border. Border wait times are plummeting at the San Diego-Tijuana border crossing.El Niño Might Help Ease Texas Droughthttp://tpr.org/post/el-ni-o-might-help-ease-texas-drought
38857 as http://tpr.orgFri, 26 Sep 2014 17:58:17 +0000El Niño Might Help Ease Texas DroughtCrystal ChavezFronteras: Tino Duran, publisher of San Antonio bilingual newspaper La Prensa , just went public with his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Duran’s daughter Nina joins us on Fronteras to talk about her father and the family’s journey with Alzheimer’s. Imagine traveling the entire Rio Grande, just you, a canoe and some paddles. A couple of journalists are doing just that. We check in on the progress of the Disappearing Rio Grande Expedition. Expedition Tracking the Disappearing Rio Grande Reporter Colin McDonald and photojournalist Erich Schlegel are on the journey of a lifetime. They're traveling 1,900 miles over seven months to follow the Rio Grande from source to sea. They’re calling it the Disappearing Rio Grande Expedition . The journey all started at Stony Pass in Colorado in late June. These journalists are not driving. They’re getting up close and personal with the river -- canoeing, kayaking and walking when need be -- to learn about the changes to the river and how those changes areJournalists On Rio Grande Expedition Now Trekking Through Texashttp://tpr.org/post/journalists-rio-grande-expedition-now-trekking-through-texas
38258 as http://tpr.orgFri, 12 Sep 2014 19:20:16 +0000Journalists On Rio Grande Expedition Now Trekking Through TexasDavid Martin DaviesTexas has never had enough water to go around, and with this ongoing drought and population growth water has never been more precious. As cities are looking to shore up their long-range water plans they are reaching farther into the rural parts of the state looking to buy up water. But the rural areas are reacting with suspicion and dread as they witness their aquifers being tapped. Now those people are organizing and demanding reforms. Linda Curtis is the president of the League of Independent Voters of Texas . "Rule of capture is not exactly the law of the land anymore because we now have groundwater conservation districts throughout the state. This is our only means for local control over groundwater. And the groundwater districts are supposed to manage these aquifers by telling people, 'Yes, you can sell a certain amount of water but you can't drain an aquifer because you are impeding on the property rights of others and a resource that sustains all life."Is A Water Revolt Coming To Texas?http://tpr.org/post/water-revolt-coming-texas
37904 as http://tpr.orgFri, 05 Sep 2014 18:08:33 +0000Is A Water Revolt Coming To Texas?Paul Flahive The Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) is looking hard at the J-17 well that determines San Antonio's drought level. As it stood today the aquifer level was at 625.24 ft. The 625 ft has special importance. When the well has been there for a 10-day average the San Antonio Pool of the Edwards Aquifer goes into stage 5 pumping restrictions, which is a 44 percent reduction in pumping. This doesn't have an immediate affect on San Antonio Water System clients, which remains in stage 3 due to additional water supplies outside of the Edwards, but should be concerning for San Antonio residents. Uvalde to the southwest sits in a different Edwards pool and has been in stage 5 for over a year. The county's farmers have been feeling the squeeze from the EAA and its reduction for permit holders, but now the EAA is rolling out a program to help out. The Voluntary Irrigation Suspension Program Option (VISPO) pays agricultural permit holders not to pump during certain times. They are offering the programThe Source: Stage 5 Drought Restrictions Around The Corner, EAA Pays Farmers Not To Pumphttp://tpr.org/post/source-stage-5-drought-restrictions-around-corner-eaa-pays-farmers-not-pump
37863 as http://tpr.orgWed, 03 Sep 2014 22:06:49 +0000The Source: Stage 5 Drought Restrictions Around The Corner, EAA Pays Farmers Not To Pump